BACCHUS Marsh stands between Woodend and back-to-back Gisborne District Cricket Association Twenty20 titles when the teams meet in tonight’s final.
The Bulls return to the final for the first time since losing a narrow encounter to Riddell in 2010.
Woodend advanced to the final with a comprehensive nine-wicket win against Sunbury last Tuesday night, its 1-126 chasing down 9-124.
Brett Beattie (3-23), Warren Else (2-10) and Nicholas Dugdale-Walker (2-26) were best of the Woodend bowlers before Glenn Warner (62no) and Else (54) made light work of the chase. Woodend reached the target with 29 balls to spare.
Bacchus Marsh advanced to the final with a two-wicket win against Wallan, surviving a late collapse from what appeared to be an unbeatable position.
The Bulls made 9-124 from their full 20 overs in reply to Wallan’s 9-109, but passed the target eight wickets down.
Brad Hansen (43) and Kieran Atkin (29) had Bacchus Marsh in the box seat at 1-85 only for a collapse of 6-23 to even up the match.
Jack Powell (6) and Brenton Payne (4no) held their nerve after coming together at 8-108 to score the two runs required for a Bacchus Marsh win.
The Premier division final starts at 6 o’clock at Gilbert Gordon Oval tonight.
In District division, St Anthonys will play Gisborne in tonight’s inaugural final for the new division.
Gisborne’s Jason Lock hit an unbeaten century to lead the Dragons to an emphatic nine-wicket win against Hesket in the semi-final, 1-127 chasing down 8-111.
Lock’s ton and century opening partnership with Ben Robinson (23) got Gisborne to the winning runs in just 11 overs. Steven Zubrycki had earlier top scored for Hesket with 42.
St Anthonys put the clamps on East Sunbury in the other semi-final, successfully defending 123 all-out by restricting the chase to 8-82 in reply.
Michael Yates (42 not-out) held the St Anthonys innings together after a 4-31 start, while East Sunbury’s Tim Wollington took 4-15.
No East Sunbury batsman was able to pass 20 in reply, as St Anthonys Rob Oosterhoff (2-12) was the only multiple wicket-taker.
The District division final starts at Melton Recreation Reserve at 6 tonight.
